Founder-Led Sales Running Deals from Your CRM – A Journeys Beginning

Ah, here we are, ready to delve into the world of Founder-Led Sales: Running Deals from Your CRM! It’s like the tale of a village, where the founder, the heart and soul, is also the traveling merchant, bartering the precious wares. This isn’t just about selling; it’s about sharing your vision, your passion, your very essence. It’s about building relationships, one handshake, one heartfelt conversation, one shared dream at a time.

The CRM, in this story, is the village square, the meeting place where all the threads of the sales journey come together, from the first greeting to the final celebration of a successful deal.

We will journey through the steps, like the rice farmer who understands every grain, every step of the planting, the watering, and the harvesting. We will explore how founders can use their unique touch to attract the right customers, craft the perfect pitch, and manage the entire sales process within the CRM. From identifying the ideal customer profile, the perfect land for our harvest, to closing the deal, the final ripe fruit.

We’ll learn the art of building lasting relationships, and the magic of turning objections into opportunities. We will learn how to read the wind, and predict the weather, to scale and build a strong, sustainable sales approach.

Defining Founder-Led Sales: Founder-Led Sales: Running Deals From Your CRM

Founder-led sales represent a distinct approach to business development, where the company’s founder or co-founders actively participate in the sales process. This contrasts with traditional sales models that delegate these responsibilities to a dedicated sales team. This strategy is particularly common in the early stages of a company’s life or when targeting specific high-value clients.

Core Principles and Distinguishing Features

The fundamental principle of founder-led sales revolves around the founder’s deep understanding of the product, the market, and the company’s vision. This direct involvement provides several key differentiators.

• Deep Product Knowledge: Founders possess an unparalleled understanding of the product’s intricacies, features, and benefits, allowing them to effectively address complex client queries and tailor solutions. This is particularly crucial for technical or innovative products where nuanced explanations are necessary.
• Authentic Storytelling: Founders can authentically convey the company’s mission, values, and the story behind the product’s creation. This personal connection can build trust and resonate with potential clients on a deeper level, fostering loyalty.
• Faster Decision-Making: The founder’s authority streamlines the sales process by eliminating the need for multiple layers of approval. This expedites deal closures, especially when negotiating pricing or customizing offerings.
• Strategic Alignment: Founder involvement ensures that sales efforts are closely aligned with the overall business strategy and vision. This prevents potential misinterpretations or deviations from the company’s core objectives.
• Market Feedback Loop: Direct interaction with clients provides founders with invaluable feedback on product performance, market needs, and competitive landscape. This data fuels informed decision-making regarding product development, marketing, and sales strategies.

Examples of Successful Founder-Led Sales Implementations

Several companies have demonstrated the effectiveness of founder-led sales, each adapting the approach to suit their specific needs and market dynamics.

• Atlassian: Co-founders Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brookes, initially handled key accounts and customer acquisition. They focused on building strong relationships and understanding customer pain points, leading to product improvements and organic growth. Their early direct engagement helped establish a strong customer-centric culture.
• Basecamp (formerly 37signals): Jason Fried, the founder of Basecamp, has been actively involved in communicating the company’s values and philosophy, often interacting with customers directly through blog posts, podcasts, and email. This approach has cultivated a loyal customer base that aligns with their brand identity.
• HubSpot: Brian Halligan, HubSpot’s co-founder, actively participated in early sales efforts, particularly when securing larger deals. His expertise in marketing and sales, coupled with his vision for inbound marketing, helped close significant deals and establish the company’s reputation.

Advantages of Founder Engagement in the Sales Process

The benefits of a founder’s direct involvement extend beyond just closing deals; they contribute to long-term business success.

• Increased Revenue and Faster Growth: Founders can often close deals more efficiently due to their authority and product expertise, leading to quicker revenue generation and accelerating overall growth.
• Enhanced Brand Reputation: Founder involvement signals commitment and dedication to customers. It also builds trust and strengthens the company’s reputation.
• Improved Product-Market Fit: Direct customer interaction allows founders to quickly identify product weaknesses and market needs, resulting in better product-market fit and improved customer satisfaction.
• Stronger Company Culture: Founder-led sales can shape a customer-centric culture, where the customer is always at the forefront of every business decision.
• Attracting Top Talent: The founder’s vision and involvement can be a significant draw for talented employees, particularly those who are looking for a more direct impact on the company’s success.

Integrating Sales into the CRM

Effectively integrating sales activities into a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is crucial for founder-led sales success. A well-integrated CRM acts as the central nervous system of the sales process, providing founders with the visibility, control, and data-driven insights needed to drive revenue. This section Artikels the essential CRM features, workflow design, and data input strategies that empower founders to manage deals effectively within their CRM.

Essential CRM Features for Founder-Led Sales

A CRM system tailored for founder-led sales should offer a robust set of features designed to streamline the sales process and provide actionable insights. These features should be user-friendly and easily accessible to the founder.

• Contact Management: A robust contact management system is the foundation. It allows founders to store and organize detailed information about leads and customers. This includes names, titles, contact information, company details, and interaction history. It should allow for easy segmentation based on various criteria, such as industry, deal size, or stage in the sales process. For instance, you could segment contacts based on whether they attended a recent webinar or if they’ve expressed interest in a specific product feature.

• Deal Tracking: Deal tracking capabilities are essential. The CRM should enable founders to create and track deals, defining stages (e.g., Lead, Qualified, Proposal, Negotiation, Closed Won/Lost), estimated close dates, deal values, and associated contacts. Customization options allow founders to tailor deal stages to their specific sales process. This enables precise tracking of each deal’s progress.
• Task and Activity Management: The CRM should provide tools for managing tasks and activities related to each deal. This includes setting reminders for follow-up calls, scheduling meetings, and logging emails. A well-organized task management system ensures that no opportunity slips through the cracks. This is especially important in founder-led sales, where the founder often wears multiple hats.
• Email Integration: Seamless email integration is critical. The CRM should integrate with the founder’s email provider (e.g., Gmail, Outlook) to track email communication automatically. This allows founders to see all email interactions with a contact directly within the CRM. Features like email templates and automated follow-up sequences can save time and improve efficiency.
• Reporting and Analytics: Robust reporting and analytics features are vital for data-driven decision-making. The CRM should provide customizable dashboards and reports that track key performance indicators (KPIs), such as deal win rates, average deal size, sales cycle length, and revenue forecasts. These insights allow founders to identify areas for improvement and optimize their sales strategy.
• Mobile Accessibility: The CRM should offer a mobile app or a mobile-responsive interface. This allows founders to access and update information on the go. This is crucial for founders who are constantly on the move, attending meetings, and networking.

Designing a CRM Workflow for Effective Deal Management

A well-designed CRM workflow provides a structured framework for managing deals, ensuring that founders can efficiently track progress and identify potential bottlenecks. This workflow should be intuitive and align with the specific sales process.

1. Lead Generation and Qualification: The process begins with lead generation. Founders can import leads from various sources, such as marketing campaigns, website forms, or networking events. Leads should be qualified based on predetermined criteria (e.g., budget, authority, need, timeline – BANT). The CRM should allow for easy lead scoring and qualification.
2. Opportunity Creation: Once a lead is qualified, an opportunity is created within the CRM. This involves creating a new deal record and associating it with the relevant contact and company. The deal record should include the estimated deal value, expected close date, and the assigned sales stage.
3. Sales Stage Progression: The deal progresses through a series of predefined sales stages. Each stage represents a specific step in the sales process (e.g., Initial Contact, Needs Analysis, Proposal, Negotiation, Closed Won/Lost). The CRM should allow founders to update the deal stage as they progress through the sales cycle. For instance, a deal might move from “Proposal” to “Negotiation” after the client provides feedback on the initial proposal.

4. Activity Tracking: Throughout the sales process, founders should track all activities related to the deal. This includes logging calls, sending emails, scheduling meetings, and documenting notes from each interaction. The CRM should automatically record these activities and associate them with the relevant deal record.
5. Automated Reminders and Notifications: The CRM should automate reminders and notifications to ensure timely follow-up and prevent deals from stalling. For example, the system could automatically send a reminder to the founder to follow up with a prospect a week after sending a proposal.
6. Deal Closing and Reporting: When a deal is closed (either won or lost), the CRM should update the deal status accordingly. This triggers the generation of reports and the analysis of key metrics, such as win rates and average deal size. The CRM should provide options to generate reports on won deals and lost deals.

Creating a Data Input Guide for Sales Effectiveness

The quality of data entered into the CRM directly impacts its usefulness. A comprehensive data input guide ensures consistency, accuracy, and completeness of data.

1. Standardize Data Entry: Establish clear guidelines for data entry to ensure consistency. This includes defining the format for contact information (e.g., phone numbers, email addresses), the naming conventions for companies, and the specific criteria for deal stages.
2. Prioritize Key Data Fields: Identify the most critical data fields that need to be populated for each contact and deal. This might include contact name, job title, company name, deal value, and close date. Ensure these fields are required to prevent incomplete records.
3. Use Custom Fields: Utilize custom fields to capture specific information relevant to the sales process. This could include the source of the lead, the products or services the prospect is interested in, and any specific challenges they are facing.
4. Regularly Update Data: Encourage founders to update the CRM regularly, ideally after each interaction with a prospect or customer. This ensures that the data remains current and accurate.
5. Document Interactions: Always document all interactions with prospects and customers, including calls, emails, and meetings. This provides a complete history of the sales process and allows for better decision-making.
6. Use Templates and Automation: Leverage email templates and automation features to streamline data entry. For example, use a template for follow-up emails and automate the logging of email communication within the CRM.
7. Data Validation: Implement data validation rules to ensure the accuracy of data. This could include setting up rules to check the format of phone numbers or email addresses.
8. Example: A sales founder at a SaaS company uses their CRM to manage deals. They have a custom field for “Product Interest” to track which of their product features a prospect is interested in. After a demo, the founder updates the “Product Interest” field to “Feature X, Feature Y”. Later, when analyzing sales performance, they can filter deals based on “Product Interest” to see which features are most often associated with closed deals, allowing them to focus their sales efforts.

Identifying Ideal Customers and Leads

Understanding and targeting the right customers is crucial for the success of Founder-Led Sales. This section delves into the process of identifying Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) and generating leads aligned with a founder’s unique value proposition, maximizing the effectiveness of sales efforts. By focusing on the right prospects, founders can significantly increase their chances of closing deals and achieving sustainable growth.

Defining Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) for Founder-Led Sales

Defining the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is the first step in effective lead generation. An ICP is a detailed description of the type of customer most likely to benefit from and purchase a company’s product or service. For Founder-Led Sales, the ICP should be tailored to leverage the founder’s unique strengths and the company’s core value proposition. This involves analyzing existing customers, market research, and a deep understanding of the target market.The following criteria should be considered when defining ICPs:

• Demographics: These are measurable characteristics of your ideal customer.
• Firmographics: These characteristics describe the company, such as industry, company size (number of employees, revenue), location, and technology used.
• Psychographics: Understanding the values, attitudes, and lifestyles of your ideal customers can help in crafting more targeted messaging.
• Needs and Pain Points: Identifying the specific problems your product or service solves is essential.
• Buying Behavior: Understanding how your ideal customer makes purchasing decisions, including the decision-makers, budget, and sales cycle length, can streamline the sales process.

A well-defined ICP helps founders focus their sales efforts, tailor their messaging, and allocate resources efficiently.

For example, a SaaS company providing project management software might define its ICP as: “Mid-sized marketing agencies (50-200 employees) located in North America, with a need to improve team collaboration and project efficiency, and a budget allocated for software solutions.” This level of detail allows the founder to target specific agencies and address their pain points directly.

Lead Generation Strategies for Founders

Lead generation strategies for Founder-Led Sales should be tailored to the founder’s strengths and the company’s value proposition. Effective strategies focus on building relationships, providing value, and establishing thought leadership. This approach often includes a blend of inbound and outbound tactics.Here are several strategies that can be implemented:

• Content Marketing: Creating valuable content, such as blog posts, white papers, and webinars, that addresses the pain points of the target audience. This helps establish thought leadership and attract potential customers. For instance, a founder of a cybersecurity company could publish a blog post about “The Top 5 Cybersecurity Threats Facing Small Businesses.”
• Social Media Engagement: Founders should actively engage on social media platforms where their ideal customers spend time. Sharing insightful content, participating in relevant conversations, and building relationships with potential customers can be highly effective.
• Networking: Attending industry events, joining relevant online communities, and leveraging existing networks can provide opportunities to connect with potential customers.
• Direct Outreach: Founders can directly reach out to potential customers through personalized emails, LinkedIn messages, or phone calls. This should be done strategically, focusing on providing value and building relationships.
• Partnerships: Collaborating with complementary businesses can provide access to new leads. For instance, a founder selling accounting software could partner with a business consultant who serves the same target market.
• Referral Programs: Incentivizing existing customers to refer new leads can be a cost-effective way to generate high-quality leads.

A study by HubSpot found that companies that consistently blog generate 67% more leads than those that don’t. This highlights the importance of content marketing in lead generation.

Tools and Methods for Customer Research

Thorough customer research is essential for identifying ICPs and generating effective leads. Founders should utilize a variety of tools and methods to gain insights into their target market.Here’s a list of tools and methods:

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System: Analyzing data within the CRM, such as sales history, customer demographics, and engagement metrics, can provide valuable insights.
• Market Research Reports: Industry-specific reports from market research firms like Gartner, Forrester, or Nielsen provide data on market trends, customer behavior, and competitor analysis.
• LinkedIn Sales Navigator: This tool helps identify and connect with potential customers based on various criteria, such as job title, industry, and company size.
• Google Analytics: Analyzing website traffic data, such as demographics, interests, and behavior, can help understand the target audience.
• Social Listening Tools: Tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social allow monitoring of social media conversations to identify customer needs, pain points, and industry trends.
• Customer Surveys and Interviews: Conducting surveys and interviews with existing customers and potential leads provides direct feedback on their needs and preferences.
• Competitor Analysis: Researching competitors, including their target customers, marketing strategies, and value propositions, can provide valuable insights.

For example, a founder could use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to identify potential customers within a specific industry and then use Google Analytics to analyze their website traffic to understand their interests and needs. This combined approach allows for a more targeted and effective sales strategy.

Crafting the Founder’s Sales Pitch

The founder’s sales pitch is more than just a sales presentation; it’s a narrative that encapsulates the company’s vision, the founder’s passion, and the value proposition. It’s a critical element of founder-led sales, acting as a direct conduit to potential customers, building trust, and driving conversions. Crafting a compelling pitch requires a deep understanding of the target audience, a clear articulation of the problem being solved, and a persuasive delivery that resonates with the listener.

Framework for Developing a Compelling Sales Pitch

Developing a compelling sales pitch involves structuring the narrative to effectively convey the value proposition and engage the audience. This framework provides a systematic approach to creating a pitch that resonates with potential customers.The framework involves the following elements:

• Define the Problem: Clearly articulate the pain point or challenge the product or service addresses. Use relatable examples to illustrate the problem’s impact.
• Introduce the Solution: Present the product or service as the answer to the defined problem. Highlight its key features and benefits.
• Showcase the Value Proposition: Emphasize the unique value the product or service offers. Quantify the benefits whenever possible (e.g., time saved, cost reduction, increased revenue).
• Build Credibility: Establish trust by sharing the founder’s story, highlighting the team’s expertise, and providing social proof (e.g., testimonials, case studies).
• Call to Action: Clearly state the desired next step (e.g., schedule a demo, sign up for a free trial).

Effective Pitch Elements for Different Sales Cycle Stages

The sales cycle comprises different stages, and the founder’s pitch needs to be adapted to each stage to maximize its impact. The pitch should be tailored to the specific goals of each interaction.Here’s a breakdown of effective pitch elements for different stages:

• Awareness Stage (e.g., cold outreach, initial website visit): The focus should be on grabbing attention and generating interest.
  • Element: A concise and compelling elevator pitch that immediately communicates the value proposition.
  • Example: “We help e-commerce businesses increase their sales by 20% by automating their customer support with AI-powered chatbots.”
• Consideration Stage (e.g., demo requests, initial meetings): The goal is to educate the prospect and build rapport.
  • Element: A more detailed presentation that addresses the prospect’s specific needs and pain points.
  • Example: Showcase how the product solves the specific problems faced by the prospect’s business, backed by case studies and data. For instance, if targeting a marketing agency, highlight how the tool can streamline campaign management, resulting in a 15% reduction in time spent on administrative tasks, as demonstrated in a recent case study with a similar agency.
• Decision Stage (e.g., proposal presentations, contract negotiations): The focus is on closing the deal and addressing any remaining concerns.
  • Element: A customized pitch that addresses the prospect’s specific objections and offers a clear call to action.
  • Example: Present a tailored proposal that addresses the prospect’s budget, timeline, and specific requirements. Offer a limited-time discount or a personalized onboarding plan to incentivize the decision. For example, if a prospect expresses concern about the initial setup cost, offer a phased implementation plan that spreads the cost over several months, making the investment more manageable.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Delivering a Founder’s Sales Pitch

Founders, while possessing unique insights and passion, can inadvertently undermine their sales efforts. Avoiding these common pitfalls can significantly improve the effectiveness of the pitch.Common pitfalls include:

• Over-reliance on Technical Jargon: Using complex technical terms that the audience may not understand. This can alienate potential customers.
• Lack of Focus on Customer Needs: Focusing too much on the product’s features rather than the benefits it offers to the customer.
• Failing to Build Rapport: Not connecting with the audience on a personal level. This can make the pitch feel impersonal and less engaging.
• Ignoring Objections: Avoiding or dismissing the prospect’s concerns and questions. This can create distrust and prevent the sale.
• Lack of a Clear Call to Action: Not clearly stating what the founder wants the prospect to do next. This can lead to confusion and lost opportunities.
• Speaking Too Much, Listening Too Little: Dominating the conversation without actively listening to the prospect’s needs and concerns.

Important Formula: A compelling pitch should always focus on the customer’s pain points and how the product or service provides a solution.

Managing the Sales Process in the CRM

Effectively managing the sales process within your CRM is crucial for founder-led sales. It allows you to track deals, analyze performance, and ensure consistency across all interactions. This section will detail how to leverage your CRM to streamline your sales efforts and drive better results.

Using the CRM to Manage Deal Stages

The CRM should be the central hub for all sales activities. From the first contact to the final close, the CRM provides a structured framework for managing each stage of the deal. This ensures no opportunities are missed and that the sales process is efficient.

• Lead Generation and Qualification: The initial stage involves capturing leads, often through website forms, marketing campaigns, or networking. The CRM should allow you to quickly capture lead information, automatically assign them to the appropriate owner (typically the founder initially), and track the lead source. Qualification involves assessing the lead’s fit with your ideal customer profile (ICP) and their potential for conversion. Utilize scoring systems within the CRM to automatically rank leads based on predefined criteria, saving time and focusing efforts on the most promising prospects.

  For example, a lead that downloads a pricing sheet and visits the ‘contact us’ page on your website might receive a higher score, indicating a stronger interest.

• Contact and Initial Outreach: Once a lead is qualified, the next step is to initiate contact. The CRM should enable you to log all communication, including emails, calls, and meetings. This allows you to maintain a complete record of interactions and ensures that all team members (as the company grows) are aware of the lead’s history. Use email templates within the CRM to personalize your initial outreach and save time.

  For example, a template for a follow-up email after a product demo could be pre-populated with the lead’s name and the date of the demo, streamlining the process.

• Proposal and Negotiation: As the lead progresses, you’ll likely move to the proposal and negotiation stage. The CRM should allow you to create and store proposals, track their status (e.g., “sent,” “reviewed,” “approved”), and manage any negotiation points. Documenting all negotiation details within the CRM is essential for maintaining transparency and preventing misunderstandings. Consider integrating your CRM with a document management system to easily store and access proposal documents.

• Closing the Deal: When a deal is ready to close, the CRM should provide tools for finalizing the sale. This includes generating contracts, managing payment terms, and updating the lead’s status to “customer.” Automation can be leveraged to send automated welcome emails and onboard new customers, ensuring a smooth transition. For instance, when a deal closes, the CRM can automatically trigger a workflow that creates a new customer account and sends a welcome package.

• Post-Sale Activities: The CRM isn’t just for closing deals; it’s also crucial for post-sale activities. Track customer onboarding, support tickets, and ongoing communication. This helps build strong customer relationships and identify opportunities for upselling and cross-selling. Use the CRM to schedule follow-up calls and track customer satisfaction.

Tracking and Analyzing Sales Performance in the CRM

The CRM offers powerful tools for tracking and analyzing sales performance, providing insights into what’s working and what needs improvement. Regularly monitoring key metrics allows founders to make data-driven decisions and optimize their sales strategies.

• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) within your CRM. Common KPIs include:
  • Conversion Rate: The percentage of leads that convert into customers.
  • Deal Velocity: The speed at which deals move through the sales pipeline.
  • Average Deal Size: The average revenue generated per deal.
  • Sales Cycle Length: The average time it takes to close a deal.
  • Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): The cost of acquiring a new customer.
• Reporting and Dashboards: Utilize the CRM’s reporting and dashboard features to visualize your sales performance. Create custom reports that track your KPIs and provide insights into your sales pipeline. Regularly review these reports to identify trends and areas for improvement. For example, a dashboard might display a sales pipeline visualization showing the number of deals at each stage and their estimated value.

• Sales Pipeline Analysis: Analyze your sales pipeline to identify bottlenecks and areas where deals are stalling. This helps you pinpoint where to focus your efforts to improve conversion rates and accelerate deal velocity. For instance, if a significant number of deals are stuck in the proposal stage, you might need to review your proposal process or pricing strategy.
• Forecasting: Use the CRM to forecast future sales based on current deals in the pipeline. This enables you to make informed decisions about resource allocation and business planning. Sales forecasting relies on data points, such as the stage of the sales process and the probability of closing a deal, to project future revenue.
• Sales Activity Tracking: Monitor sales activities, such as calls made, emails sent, and meetings held. This helps you assess the effectiveness of your sales efforts and identify areas for improvement. Analyze which activities are most effective at driving conversions.

Checklist for a Consistent Sales Process, Founder-Led Sales: Running Deals from Your CRM

To ensure consistency and efficiency in your founder-led sales efforts, follow a structured sales process. This checklist provides a framework for managing deals within your CRM.

• Lead Capture and Qualification:
  • [ ] Capture lead information in the CRM.
  • [ ] Qualify leads based on predefined criteria.
  • [ ] Assign leads to the appropriate owner.
• Initial Outreach:
  • [ ] Log all communication in the CRM.
  • [ ] Use email templates for initial outreach.
  • [ ] Schedule follow-up activities.
• Proposal and Negotiation:
  • [ ] Create and store proposals in the CRM.
  • [ ] Track the status of proposals.
  • [ ] Document all negotiation details.
• Closing the Deal:
  • [ ] Generate contracts and manage payment terms.
  • [ ] Update the lead’s status to “customer.”
  • [ ] Automate welcome emails and onboarding.
• Post-Sale Activities:
  • [ ] Track customer onboarding and support tickets.
  • [ ] Schedule follow-up calls.
  • [ ] Identify opportunities for upselling and cross-selling.
• CRM Hygiene and Maintenance:
  • [ ] Regularly update lead and customer information.
  • [ ] Review and refine your sales process in the CRM.
  • [ ] Train all team members on CRM usage.

Building Relationships and Closing Deals

As a founder, your ability to cultivate relationships and expertly close deals is critical to your company’s success. This section dives into practical techniques for building strong customer relationships, navigating objections, and negotiating deals effectively. Mastering these skills can significantly impact your sales cycle and overall revenue generation.

Techniques for Building Strong Relationships with Potential Customers

Building genuine relationships is about more than just making a sale; it’s about creating lasting value and trust. It’s about understanding the customer’s needs and demonstrating that you care about their success.Here are some key techniques:

• Active Listening: Pay close attention to what your potential customers are saying, both verbally and nonverbally. Ask clarifying questions to ensure you fully understand their needs and challenges. For example, if a customer says, “We’re struggling with lead generation,” follow up with, “Can you tell me more about the specific challenges you’re facing with lead generation? What strategies have you tried?”
• Personalized Communication: Tailor your communication to each individual customer. Avoid generic templates and instead reference their specific business, industry, and pain points. Research their company, understand their role, and personalize your interactions. For example, if you’re selling a marketing automation platform, and you know a prospect is using HubSpot, you can reference their existing tools to show them how your solution can integrate and enhance their current setup.

• Empathy and Understanding: Show genuine empathy for their situation. Acknowledge their concerns and demonstrate that you understand their challenges. For example, if a customer expresses frustration with a competitor’s product, respond with, “I understand that can be frustrating. We’ve heard similar feedback from other customers. Let’s explore how our solution addresses those pain points.”
• Transparency and Honesty: Be upfront and honest about your product’s capabilities and limitations. Build trust by avoiding exaggeration or misleading claims. This approach fosters long-term relationships and minimizes future misunderstandings.
• Provide Value Beyond the Sale: Offer valuable resources, insights, and support throughout the sales process. Share industry articles, case studies, or helpful tips that demonstrate your expertise and commitment to their success, even if they don’t immediately convert. For instance, sending a prospect a relevant whitepaper or a link to a helpful blog post shows you’re invested in their success beyond the immediate transaction.

• Follow-Up Consistently: Stay in touch regularly, even if the deal isn’t immediately closed. Provide updates, answer questions, and offer ongoing support. This keeps you top-of-mind and demonstrates your commitment to their long-term success.

Strategies for Overcoming Objections and Closing Deals Effectively

Objections are a natural part of the sales process. How you handle them can determine whether you close the deal or lose the opportunity. The key is to address the concerns and turn them into opportunities to build trust and value.Here’s a strategic approach:

• Anticipate Objections: Before a sales call, anticipate the common objections you might encounter. Prepare thoughtful responses to address these concerns proactively.
• Listen and Acknowledge: Allow the customer to fully express their objection. Acknowledge their concern by saying something like, “I understand your concern about the price.” This shows you’re listening and empathetic.
• Clarify and Understand: Ask clarifying questions to fully understand the root of the objection. For example, if the customer says, “The price is too high,” ask, “Compared to what? What specific features are you looking for that aren’t included?”
• Provide Evidence and Value: Back up your claims with data, case studies, or testimonials. Highlight the value your product or service provides and how it addresses the customer’s specific needs. For example, if the customer is concerned about the return on investment (ROI), present data showing the average ROI for your clients in their industry.
• Offer Solutions and Alternatives: If possible, offer solutions or alternatives to address the objection. This might involve adjusting the pricing, offering a different package, or providing additional support.
• Confirm Commitment: Once you’ve addressed the objection, confirm the customer’s commitment. Ask a direct closing question like, “Based on what we’ve discussed, are you ready to move forward?”
• Handle Price Objections Effectively: Price is often a key concern. Address price objections by emphasizing value. Focus on the long-term benefits, ROI, and the overall cost savings. You can also offer payment plans or different pricing tiers to accommodate their budget.
• Handle Time-Related Objections: Time can be a significant factor. If the customer says they need time to think it over, set a specific follow-up date. Offer to send them additional information or schedule another call to address any remaining questions.
• Be Prepared to Walk Away: Not every deal is a good fit. If you can’t overcome the objections or the customer isn’t the right fit for your product, be prepared to walk away. This preserves your time and resources for more promising opportunities.

Best Practices for Negotiating Deals as a Founder

Negotiating deals is a critical skill for founders. It’s about finding a win-win solution that benefits both parties. A well-negotiated deal can lead to long-term partnerships and increased revenue.Here’s a list of best practices:

• Know Your Bottom Line: Before you start negotiating, determine your minimum acceptable price and terms. This is your walk-away point. Stick to it unless the potential upside is significant.
• Understand the Customer’s Needs: Thoroughly understand the customer’s needs, budget, and decision-making process. This information will help you tailor your negotiation strategy.
• Focus on Value, Not Just Price: Emphasize the value your product or service provides. Highlight the benefits, ROI, and long-term advantages. This shifts the focus away from price alone.
• Be Prepared to Make Concessions: Be prepared to make concessions, but always aim to get something in return. For example, if you offer a discount, ask for a longer contract term or a larger upfront payment.
• Create a Sense of Urgency: Sometimes, creating a sense of urgency can help move the deal forward. Offer a limited-time discount or bonus to encourage the customer to make a decision.
• Be Professional and Respectful: Maintain a professional and respectful demeanor throughout the negotiation process. Even if you disagree with the customer, remain calm and courteous.
• Document Everything: Keep a detailed record of all negotiations, including the offers, counteroffers, and agreements. This helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures both parties are on the same page.
• Be Willing to Walk Away: Know when to walk away from a deal that doesn’t meet your needs. It’s better to lose a deal than to accept unfavorable terms that could harm your business.
• Seek External Advice: If you’re unsure how to proceed, seek advice from a mentor, advisor, or legal counsel. They can provide valuable insights and help you navigate the negotiation process.
• Use the “If-Then” Approach: Employ the “if-then” approach during negotiations. For example, “If you agree to a 12-month contract, then we can offer you a 10% discount.” This helps to establish clear conditions and expectations.

Reporting and Analysis in the CRM

Understanding and leveraging the data within your CRM is crucial for founder-led sales success. It’s not enough to simply track deals; you need to analyze the data to identify trends, pinpoint bottlenecks, and optimize your sales process. This section dives into how to generate reports, use data for improvement, and create a valuable monthly sales report template.

Generating Reports Within the CRM to Monitor Sales Progress

Generating reports within your CRM allows you to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and visualize your sales progress. Most CRMs offer built-in reporting features that can be customized to meet your specific needs. The goal is to gain a clear understanding of your sales performance at a glance.To generate effective reports, consider these steps:

• Define Your KPIs: Before creating any reports, identify the metrics that are most important to your sales success. Examples include:
  • Number of leads generated.
  • Conversion rates (lead to opportunity, opportunity to customer).
  • Average deal size.
  • Sales cycle length.
  • Revenue generated.
• Select Report Types: Choose report types that align with your KPIs. Common report types include:
  • Pipeline Reports: Visualize the stages of your sales pipeline and the value of deals at each stage. This helps identify bottlenecks.
  • Sales Performance Reports: Track individual or team sales performance against targets.
  • Conversion Rate Reports: Analyze the percentage of leads that convert to opportunities and customers.
  • Activity Reports: Monitor sales activities, such as calls, emails, and meetings.
• Customize Your Reports: Most CRMs allow you to customize reports by:
  • Filtering data: Filter data by date range, sales rep, product, or other criteria.
  • Adding visualizations: Use charts and graphs to make your data easier to understand.
  • Scheduling reports: Set up automated reports that are emailed to you or your team on a regular basis.
• Regular Review and Iteration: Regularly review your reports and adjust them as needed. Your business and sales goals may evolve, so your reports should also.

Using CRM Data to Identify Areas for Improvement in the Sales Process

CRM data provides a wealth of information that can be used to identify areas for improvement in your sales process. By analyzing your data, you can uncover inefficiencies, understand what’s working, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your sales efforts.Here’s how to use CRM data to identify areas for improvement:

• Analyze Conversion Rates: Track your conversion rates at each stage of your sales pipeline. Low conversion rates at a specific stage indicate a potential problem. For example, if the lead-to-opportunity conversion rate is low, you might need to refine your lead qualification process or improve your initial outreach.
• Review Sales Cycle Length: A long sales cycle can be a sign of inefficiencies. Analyze the length of your sales cycle and identify the stages that take the longest. This could indicate issues with your sales process, pricing, or customer engagement.
• Examine Deal Loss Reasons: CRM data often allows you to track why deals are lost. Analyze the reasons for lost deals to identify common objections, competitive pressures, or product shortcomings.
• Assess Sales Activity: Monitor the volume and effectiveness of sales activities, such as calls, emails, and meetings. If sales reps are not making enough calls or sending enough emails, they may not be generating enough leads or closing enough deals.
• Track Sales Rep Performance: Analyze the performance of individual sales reps to identify top performers and areas where others may need training or coaching.
• Identify Bottlenecks: Use pipeline reports to pinpoint bottlenecks in your sales process. A bottleneck is a stage where deals tend to get stuck. Addressing these bottlenecks can significantly improve your sales efficiency.

For example, imagine a SaaS company, “GrowthSprout,” using its CRM. Their analysis revealed a low conversion rate from “Demo Requested” to “Proposal Sent.” Further investigation showed that the demos weren’t effectively showcasing the product’s key benefits for the target audience. GrowthSprout revised their demo script, focusing on specific customer pain points, and the conversion rate improved by 15% within a quarter.

This illustrates the power of CRM data in driving tangible sales improvements.

Creating a Template for a Monthly Sales Report

A well-structured monthly sales report provides a snapshot of your sales performance and highlights areas for improvement. This template provides a framework you can adapt to your specific business needs. Remember to customize this template to include the KPIs most relevant to your company.Here is a basic template:

This template provides a solid foundation for your monthly sales report. Adapt it to reflect your unique sales process, product offerings, and target market. Regularly reviewing and refining your report will help you stay informed, make data-driven decisions, and continuously improve your sales performance.

Scaling Founder-Led Sales

Source: b-cdn.net

Scaling founder-led sales is a crucial step for any growing company. While the founder’s personal touch can be incredibly effective in the early stages, it’s often unsustainable as the business expands. Successfully navigating this transition requires careful planning and execution to maintain the momentum and authenticity that drove initial success. This section delves into the challenges, strategies, and training necessary to scale founder-led sales effectively.

Challenges of Scaling Founder-Led Sales

The transition from founder-led sales to a broader sales team presents several significant challenges. The founder’s deep understanding of the product, the target market, and the company’s values is difficult to replicate. Maintaining the same level of personalized attention and building trust with each customer becomes increasingly difficult as the customer base grows.

• Loss of Founder’s Personal Touch: The founder’s direct involvement in sales fosters a unique connection with customers. This personal touch, including their unique insights and passion, is difficult to replicate. Scaling often means the founder’s direct interactions are reduced, potentially impacting customer relationships and the perceived value of the product or service.
• Time Constraints and Scalability Issues: As the company grows, the founder’s time becomes increasingly valuable and must be allocated strategically. Focusing solely on sales becomes impractical, and the founder needs to delegate sales responsibilities to a team. This shift can strain the founder’s ability to manage other critical business functions.
• Knowledge Transfer and Consistency: The founder possesses an intimate understanding of the product, the target market, and the sales process. Transferring this knowledge effectively to a new sales team is crucial. Inconsistent messaging or a lack of product understanding can damage the brand’s reputation and sales effectiveness.
• Maintaining Company Culture: The founder embodies the company’s culture and values. Ensuring these values are consistently reflected by the sales team is critical. Without proper training and guidance, new hires may not represent the company’s culture effectively, potentially leading to customer dissatisfaction and brand erosion.
• Finding and Retaining Top Talent: Recruiting and retaining skilled sales professionals who align with the company’s values and can effectively represent the brand is challenging. Competition for top sales talent is fierce, and a robust onboarding and training program is essential for success.

Strategies for Transitioning from Founder-Led Sales to a Sales Team

A well-defined strategy is critical to successfully transition from founder-led sales to a sales team. This involves careful planning, documentation, and a commitment to replicating the founder’s successful approach.

• Document the Sales Process: Create a detailed document outlining every step of the founder’s sales process, from lead generation to closing deals. This includes the sales pitch, objection handling techniques, follow-up strategies, and any specific nuances that contribute to success. This documentation serves as the foundation for training and onboarding new sales hires.
• Develop a Sales Playbook: A comprehensive sales playbook should include the sales process, ideal customer profiles (ICPs), customer relationship management (CRM) system usage guidelines, sales scripts (with room for personalization), and pricing strategies. This playbook serves as a readily available resource for the sales team, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
• Identify and Hire the Right People: Recruit sales professionals who align with the company’s values, demonstrate strong communication skills, and have a proven track record of success. Look for candidates who are coachable, possess a growth mindset, and are eager to learn the founder’s approach.
• Onboarding and Training: Implement a thorough onboarding and training program to equip new hires with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed. This includes product training, sales process training, CRM training, and role-playing exercises. The training should replicate the founder’s successful approach.
• Leverage the CRM System: Utilize the CRM system to track sales activities, manage leads, and monitor performance. This allows the founder and sales managers to gain insights into the sales team’s performance and identify areas for improvement. The CRM should be used to automate repetitive tasks and streamline the sales process.
• Implement a Mentorship Program: Pair new sales hires with experienced team members or the founder to provide ongoing support and guidance. Mentorship helps new hires to learn from the founder’s experience, receive feedback, and build their confidence.
• Provide Ongoing Coaching and Feedback: Regularly review sales performance, provide constructive feedback, and offer coaching to help the sales team improve their skills. Use data from the CRM system to identify areas where individual team members can improve.
• Gradual Transition: Avoid an abrupt transition. The founder should gradually reduce their involvement in sales, allowing the sales team to take on more responsibility over time. This phased approach minimizes disruption and ensures a smooth handover.
• Lead by Example: The founder should continue to participate in sales activities, even after the sales team is in place. This demonstrates their commitment to sales and provides a role model for the sales team to emulate.

Designing a Training Plan for New Sales Hires

A well-structured training plan is crucial for ensuring that new sales hires understand and can replicate the founder’s successful sales approach. This plan should be comprehensive, covering product knowledge, sales techniques, CRM usage, and company culture.

• Phase 1: Product Knowledge and Company Overview: This phase should focus on providing new hires with a deep understanding of the product or service, the target market, and the company’s mission, values, and history. This will help them understand the value proposition and effectively communicate it to potential customers.
• Phase 2: Sales Process and Methodology: The second phase focuses on the sales process, including lead generation, qualification, the sales pitch, objection handling, closing techniques, and follow-up strategies. The training should be based on the documented sales process and playbook, and include role-playing exercises to practice the techniques.
• Phase 3: CRM Training and Tools: This phase covers the use of the CRM system, including how to manage leads, track sales activities, generate reports, and utilize other sales tools. The training should include hands-on exercises to ensure that new hires are comfortable using the CRM system.
• Phase 4: Mentorship and Shadowing: Pair new hires with experienced team members or the founder to provide ongoing support and guidance. Allow new hires to shadow experienced sales representatives and observe them in action.
• Phase 5: Performance Monitoring and Feedback: Regularly review sales performance, provide constructive feedback, and offer coaching to help new hires improve their skills. Utilize the CRM system to track key metrics and identify areas for improvement.
• Role-Playing and Practice: Incorporate role-playing exercises to allow new hires to practice their sales pitch, handle objections, and close deals. Provide feedback and coaching to help them refine their skills.
• Continuous Learning and Development: Encourage ongoing learning and development by providing access to training materials, industry resources, and mentorship opportunities.
• Assessment and Evaluation: Regularly assess the progress of new hires through quizzes, role-playing exercises, and performance reviews. Provide feedback and adjust the training plan as needed.

CRM Functionality for Founder-Led Sales

A robust CRM is the cornerstone of effective founder-led sales. It allows founders to manage every aspect of the sales process, from lead generation to closing deals and beyond. This section details the key CRM features essential for founders, showcasing how they can leverage these tools for maximum impact.

CRM Feature Table

The following table Artikels critical CRM features, their descriptions, the benefits they offer to founders, and practical examples of their use.

Common Mistakes in Founder-Led Sales

Founder-led sales can be incredibly powerful, but it’s also a high-stakes game. Founders often make critical errors that can derail their sales efforts and ultimately impact the company’s growth. Understanding these pitfalls is crucial for maximizing your impact and building a sustainable sales engine.Here’s a breakdown of the most common mistakes founders make in sales, along with the consequences and actionable solutions:

Failing to Define a Clear Target Audience

Before launching any sales initiatives, it’s crucial to pinpoint your ideal customer profile (ICP). A poorly defined ICP leads to wasted time and resources.

• Consequence: Targeting the wrong customers results in low conversion rates, increased customer acquisition costs (CAC), and a diluted brand message. This also leads to inefficient use of the sales team’s time and resources.
• Solution: Conduct thorough market research. Analyze your existing customer base to identify common characteristics, pain points, and purchasing behaviors. Develop detailed buyer personas that represent your ideal customer. Use data from your CRM and other sources to refine these personas continuously.

Neglecting the Importance of a Strong Value Proposition

A compelling value proposition is the cornerstone of any successful sales pitch. Without a clear articulation of the benefits your product or service offers, you’ll struggle to capture the attention of potential customers.

• Consequence: A weak value proposition leads to customer confusion, decreased interest, and ultimately, lost sales. Potential customers may not understand why they should choose your product over competitors.
• Solution: Clearly define your product’s key features and benefits. Focus on how your offering solves a specific problem for your target audience. Highlight the unique advantages of your product and its ability to provide superior results. Craft a concise and memorable value proposition that resonates with your ideal customers. Use A/B testing to refine your messaging.

Not Leveraging the CRM Effectively

A CRM is a powerful tool for managing the sales process, but many founders fail to utilize it to its full potential. This can lead to disorganization, missed opportunities, and a lack of data-driven insights.

• Consequence: Poor CRM usage results in lost leads, inefficient sales processes, and difficulty tracking performance. This also hinders the ability to forecast sales accurately and make informed decisions.
• Solution: Implement a robust CRM system and train your team on its proper use. Customize the CRM to align with your sales process. Use the CRM to track all customer interactions, manage leads, automate tasks, and generate reports. Regularly analyze CRM data to identify areas for improvement and optimize your sales strategy.

Over-Promising and Under-Delivering

Building trust is essential in sales. Overpromising to secure a deal can damage your reputation and lead to customer dissatisfaction.

• Consequence: Overpromising creates unrealistic expectations, leading to unhappy customers, negative reviews, and churn. It erodes trust and makes it difficult to secure future sales.
• Solution: Be transparent and honest about your product’s capabilities. Manage customer expectations realistically. Underpromise and overdeliver. Focus on building long-term relationships based on trust and mutual respect.

Failing to Follow Up Consistently

Following up is critical for nurturing leads and closing deals. Neglecting this crucial step can result in lost opportunities.

• Consequence: Failing to follow up leads to missed sales, decreased conversion rates, and a longer sales cycle. Leads may lose interest or choose a competitor.
• Solution: Implement a systematic follow-up process. Use your CRM to schedule follow-up calls, emails, and other interactions. Personalize your follow-up messages to show you understand the prospect’s needs. Aim to provide value in each interaction, not just pitch your product.

Not Personalizing the Sales Approach

Treating every prospect the same is a recipe for failure. Customers appreciate personalized interactions that demonstrate you understand their specific needs and challenges.

• Consequence: A generic sales approach leads to disengagement, low conversion rates, and a perception that you don’t care about the customer’s specific needs.
• Solution: Research each prospect thoroughly before reaching out. Tailor your messaging to address their specific pain points and demonstrate how your product or service can solve their problems. Use data from your CRM to personalize your interactions.

Ignoring Customer Feedback

Customer feedback is invaluable for improving your product and refining your sales strategy. Ignoring this feedback can lead to stagnation and missed opportunities for growth.

• Consequence: Ignoring feedback results in product development that doesn’t meet customer needs, decreased customer satisfaction, and missed opportunities for improvement.
• Solution: Actively solicit customer feedback through surveys, interviews, and other channels. Analyze this feedback to identify areas for improvement in your product, sales process, and customer service. Implement changes based on customer feedback and communicate these changes to your customers.

Focusing Solely on Closing Deals, Not Building Relationships

While closing deals is important, building long-term relationships is crucial for sustainable growth. Focusing solely on short-term gains can damage your reputation and lead to customer churn.

• Consequence: Focusing solely on closing deals leads to a transactional relationship with customers, which results in lower customer lifetime value (CLTV), increased churn, and fewer referrals.
• Solution: Prioritize building relationships with your customers. Get to know their needs and challenges. Provide excellent customer service and support. Stay in touch after the sale to ensure they are satisfied with your product or service.

Failing to Adapt and Iterate

The sales landscape is constantly evolving. A static sales strategy will quickly become outdated.

• Consequence: Failing to adapt to changes in the market, customer preferences, and technology results in missed opportunities, declining sales, and a loss of competitive advantage.
• Solution: Regularly review and analyze your sales performance. Stay informed about industry trends and best practices. Be willing to experiment with new approaches and iterate on your sales strategy based on data and feedback.

Not Delegating Sales Responsibilities Effectively

As your company grows, it becomes impossible for the founder to handle all sales activities. Failing to delegate effectively can hinder growth.

• Consequence: Not delegating sales responsibilities leads to founder burnout, a bottleneck in the sales process, and slower growth. The founder’s time is better spent on other critical aspects of the business.
• Solution: Build a strong sales team and empower them to take ownership of specific tasks. Provide training and support to ensure they can effectively represent your company. Establish clear roles and responsibilities. Regularly monitor their performance and provide feedback.

Best Practices for Communication

Effective communication is the bedrock of founder-led sales. It’s how you build trust, convey value, and ultimately, close deals. As the founder, your communication style sets the tone for the entire company. Therefore, adhering to best practices ensures clarity, builds rapport, and fosters lasting customer relationships.

Clarity and Conciseness in Messaging

Clear and concise communication avoids ambiguity and ensures your message resonates with the prospect. This is particularly crucial when you’re juggling multiple roles and have limited time.

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”

Thomas Jefferson

To achieve clarity and conciseness:

• Focus on the core value proposition: Clearly articulate the benefits your product or service offers. Don’t bury the key takeaways under layers of jargon or complex explanations.
• Use simple language: Avoid industry-specific jargon that might confuse your audience. Opt for everyday language that everyone can understand.
• Be direct and to the point: Respect your prospect’s time by getting straight to the point. Avoid rambling or unnecessary details.
• Structure your communication: Use clear headings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs to make your message easy to digest.

Example: Instead of saying, “Our innovative solution leverages a cloud-based architecture to facilitate synergistic workflow optimization and enhanced user experience,” try: “Our software helps you work more efficiently and makes your team happier.”

Active Listening and Empathy

Active listening is a crucial component of effective communication. It involves paying close attention to what the prospect is saying, understanding their needs, and responding thoughtfully. Empathy allows you to see things from their perspective, building trust and rapport.To practice active listening and empathy:

• Pay attention: Give the prospect your undivided attention. Put away distractions and focus on what they’re saying.
• Ask clarifying questions: Encourage the prospect to elaborate on their needs and concerns. For example, “Can you tell me more about that challenge?”
• Summarize and paraphrase: Demonstrate your understanding by summarizing their points and restating them in your own words. This confirms you’re on the same page.
• Show empathy: Acknowledge their feelings and validate their experiences. For instance, “I understand that can be frustrating.”

Example: A prospect mentions a previous bad experience with a similar product. Instead of immediately dismissing it, acknowledge their concern by saying, “I understand your hesitation, and I want to assure you that we’ve learned from those mistakes. Our product is designed to avoid those pitfalls.”

Personalization and Tailoring the Message

Generic, one-size-fits-all communication rarely resonates. Personalizing your message demonstrates that you understand the prospect’s specific needs and have taken the time to research their business.To personalize your communication:

• Research the prospect: Before any interaction, review their website, social media profiles, and any other available information to understand their business, challenges, and goals.
• Refer to specific details: Mention specific aspects of their business or industry that are relevant to your product or service.
• Tailor your pitch: Customize your sales pitch to address their specific pain points and demonstrate how your solution can help them achieve their goals.
• Use their name: Address them by name throughout the conversation and in your follow-up communications.

Example: Instead of sending a generic email, research a prospect’s recent blog post about their biggest marketing challenge. In your email, you could say, “I read your recent post about your struggles with lead generation, and I believe our software could significantly improve your results by automating the process.”

Consistency Across Channels

Maintaining a consistent message across all communication channels builds trust and reinforces your brand identity. Whether you’re using email, phone, social media, or in-person meetings, your message should align with your core values and brand voice.To ensure consistency:

• Develop a clear brand voice: Define your company’s personality and how it should be reflected in your communication. Is it formal or informal, friendly or professional?
• Create templates and guidelines: Develop templates for common communications, such as emails, presentations, and sales scripts. This helps maintain consistency in messaging and branding.
• Train your team: If you have a sales team, ensure they understand your brand voice and messaging guidelines. Provide training and resources to help them communicate effectively.
• Monitor your communication: Regularly review your communications across all channels to ensure consistency and identify any areas for improvement.

Example: If your brand voice is friendly and approachable, avoid using overly formal language in your emails or sales calls. Instead, use a conversational tone and build rapport with your prospects.

Follow-Up and Persistence

Following up is crucial in founder-led sales. It demonstrates your commitment to the prospect and keeps your product or service top of mind. However, persistence should be balanced with respect for the prospect’s time and boundaries.To follow up effectively:

• Set clear expectations: During your initial conversation, let the prospect know when and how you’ll follow up.
• Provide value: In your follow-up communications, offer valuable information, such as relevant articles, case studies, or product updates.
• Vary your communication methods: If you haven’t heard back after an email, try calling or sending a LinkedIn message.
• Respect their time: If the prospect is unresponsive, don’t bombard them with messages. Give them space and consider sending a final, polite follow-up email before moving on.

Example: After a sales call, send a follow-up email summarizing the key takeaways and outlining the next steps. If you don’t hear back within a week, send a second email with a helpful resource, such as a case study relevant to their business.

About rexus

rexus believes every customer relationship deserves a personal touch. Active member of professional CRM and digital marketing communities. My goal is to inspire readers to maximize their CRM potential.